Dog euthanized after 30-day reprieve

By David Hotle | Aug 15, 2014

A dog that was given 30 days for behavior testing after the Washington City Council declared him vicious was humanely destroyed this morning after the owner failed to meet the conditions given. City administrator Brent Hinson reported that owner Daniel Maines had been given time to have an animal behaviorist examine the Staffordshire bull terrier, named Ozzy, and confirm it was safe to allow the dog into public. Hinson said if a behaviorist had made that determination, further council action would be required on what to do with the dog. “The council was pretty clear that if there wasn’t clear and convincing evidence the dog could be released, that the dog was going to be euthanized,” Hinson said. “That is what happened.” Hinson said that a behaviorist had examined Ozzy and the determination was inconclusive. He said the behaviorist had said that with “intense training” the dog could have been declared safe for the public. During a public hearing held at the council’s July 16 meeting, testimony was given concerning an incident that occurred June 11 when Ozzy reportedly escaped a garage he was being kept in and charged a woman. The woman called police. The 75-pound dog was also reportedly aggressive toward a police officer and the dog catcher. According to Hinson, Ozzy’s behavior had not changed at all in the time he was kept at the city’s kennel. At the hearing Maines had argued that police had mistaken Ozzy’s protectiveness and concern over a new area with aggression. Hinson confirmed that there was another incident recently where a dog was euthanized after attacking another dog and almost killing it. He said the dog had also bitten three people while the fight was being broken up. “We’re always dealing with dog cases,” Hinson said. “As far as attack cases, those were the only ones we were dealing with.”